Separation anxiety is a very common behaviour problem in dogs. There are many potential contributory factors and, once a dog has developed separation anxiety, it can be challenging to resolve. The good news is that, with the help of a good canine behaviourist, and some commitment from you, the owner, it is possible to teach a dog to be comfortable with its own company for a few hours at a time.
A common behavioural problem
Petplan’s Pet Census of 2018 reported that 40% of dog owners in the UK said their dog experienced separation anxiety. It is highly likely that the Covid lockdown, when people were at home a great deal, may have increased this percentage.
The RSPCA now says that 8 out of 10 dogs find it hard to cope when left alone.
That’s a horribly high number.
What is separation anxiety?
Separation anxiety is the name given to the distress felt by a dog when it is left alone for any period of time. The common, and most obvious, signs are that a dog will bark, howl or whine from the minute you leave the house until you return. This may be accompanied by destructive behaviour, such as scratching at doors, walls and furniture. The dog may toilet indoors and may even self-harm by chewing his or her paws or tail.
Sometimes the signs are less extreme; your dog may look anxious at the signs that you are about to leave the house and may be massively excited for a long period when you return. We can be tempted to view these less extreme behaviours almost as desirable characteristics – “my dog loves me so much he hates me to leave but it’s lovely to see how excited he is when I return – he runs around for about 20 minutes because he’s so happy to see me…” when actually this poor dog is exhibiting signs of separation anxiety.

What causes separation anxiety?
There are a number of possible contributory factors, including: genetic predisposition, poor experiences in the early weeks of a puppy’s life – an anxious mum can cause her pups to be anxious too, or a traumatic event. The most common factor though, is that we, the owners, fail to teach our dogs, as young puppies, to be comfortable with their own company for a few hours or so at a time.
What I can do to help my dog
The good news is that it is possible to teach a puppy or an adult dog to be content alone for short periods. If you have a puppy, from the start, make sure he or she is spending time in the house in a different room from you before you start leaving the house for short periods. Do this after you have taken them outside to do their business, or after a short playtime in the garden, so that they are ready to settle, and leave them with something to distract them that is safe (a classic Kong toy, stuffed with some of their food can work well for 20 minutes or so, to get them started) . Whilst some people like to have their dog sleeping in their bedroom or on their bed, this can make it harder for some dogs to learn to be alone, so that is something to bear in mind.
If you have an adult dog with separation anxiety you may need the help of a good behaviourist to work to understand the potential root causes and trigger points, and severity of your dog’s distress. They can then provide you with a programme to work with your dog so that he or she learns to settle and be comfortable when alone for a few hours.
I’ve had rescue dogs with severe separation anxiety and puppies with very high predisposition to it so I know what it is like to live with, as well as how to resolve it.
If you have an adult dog with separation anxiety, or a puppy you are struggling to get settled and content when left, then please do get in touch.
📸 Main Image from Unsplash.